[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26339-26340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8852]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 050307E]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) 
Multispecies (Groundfish/Monkfish) Committee will meet to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 31, 2007, at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Providence Biltmore, 11 
Dorrance Street, Providence, RI 02903; telephone: (401) 421-0700.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The items of discussion in the committee's 
agenda are as follows:

[[Page 26340]]

    The Multispecies (Groundfish) Committee will hold a joint meeting 
with the Multispecies (Monkfish) Committee to continue development of 
Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP). The Multispecies (Groundfish) Committee will discuss revisions 
to the days-at-sea system, including a suggestion to develop a days-at-
sea performance plan. They will also discuss a proposal to develop a 
limited entry program for party/charter fishing vessels that fish in 
the Gulf of Maine. After these discussions, the Committee will develop 
a recommendation for the Council on which alternative management 
systems (including the area management and point system proposals 
discussed at a meeting on April 20, 2007) should be developed in 
Amendment 16 as alternatives that will be considered for implementation 
in fishing year 2009. The Committee may recommend any of the 
alternatives for further development, or may make other recommendations 
on the contents of the amendment. The two Committees will then discuss 
the overlap between the groundfish and monkfish management plans and 
will consider whether the two plans should be merged, or if other 
changes are necessary in light of planned Amendment 16 development. The 
Multispecies (Groundfish) Committee will then review sector proposals 
received by the Council and develop a recommendation for the Council on 
what to do with those proposals. Finally, the Multispecies (Groundfish) 
Committee will consider recommending a standard that the Regional 
Administrator can use to approve additional gears in the Eastern U.S./
Canada Haddock Special Access Program and in the Category B (regular) 
Day-at-Sea Program.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: May 4, 2007.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-8852 Filed 5-8-07; 8:45 am]
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